Gas-engine



G. F. ZUCKER.

GAS ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.B. I9I9.

1,399,283. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

60 6 l A IL @wz/,627 f Zach?? Ey a@ UNITED STATES GOTTLIEB F. ZUCKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS.

GAS-ENGIN E.

Application filed August 8, 1919.

T0 all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, GoT'rLiE F. ZUCKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to the valves therefor and their operating mechanism. In previous constructions the movements of the valves of ordinary internal combustion engines have been limited by the capacity of the springs usually employed to seat the valves to a very small amount of valve movement and consequently it has notheretofore been possible to readily vary, viz., increase the valve movement and consequently increase the power of the engine Without danger of breaking the valve springs. A

The object of this inventionis to provide Aa. valve mechanism in which the valves are in general mechanically moved in both directions and so that by changing cani mechanism or equivalent parts in the valve operating mechanism the valves may be moved any predetermined desired amount without spring trouble ;such springs as are present being used being effective only as the valve closes to hold it on the seat and not for any other purpose.

The invention consists in the use of a cam mechanism, in the particular form here illustrated a compound cam shaft and mechanism between it and the valve mechanism whereby the rotation of the camshaft positively moves the valve in each direction, there being between the valve and the cam shaft an intermediate spring control mechanism which allows for slight play between the parts and holds the valve on the seat when closed by spring action. `The invention also consists in features and details of construction whichv will be hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims. A

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a section through the cylinder and crank case of a combustion engine equipped with mechanism illustrating this invention in its preferred form, the view of the parts 46--52 being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Serial No. 316,033.

Fig. 2 is an end view partially in section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa plan view partially in section of a double acting or compound cam shaft taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. The engine to which the device of this invention is applied comprises a cylinder 10 having reciprocatable therein the usual piston l2 driving the connecting rod 14 on crank arm 16v and main shaft 18.

The upper end of the cylinder 10 is closed by a cylinder head 2O having in it gas passages 22 and 24 closable by valves 26 and 28. These valves are mounted respectively on valve stems 30 and 32 slidable respectively through hubs 34 and 36 in pistons 38 and 40. Each one of these pistons just described is moved by a rocker arm 42 or 44 as the case may be extending at right angles to the valve stem and pivoted on the side of the engine cylinder and each rocker arm is farther away provided with a fork device 46 which passes on opposite sidesVV of an adjacent double acting cam shaft, one such shaft 50 being located on one side of the engine, the other shaft, 52, on the opposite side of the engine. These cam shafts, 50 and 52, are identical in construction, and as illustrated in Fig. 3, are in the particular construction shown in the drawing provided on one side with a projecting cam lug 54 and on the other side with two parallel depressions 56 of depth equal tothe thickness of lug L54. Each shaft is engaged by opposite portionsl of the adjacent fork 46 as clearly shown in the drawing. arms at right angles to the pistons and the paths of travel of the valve stems, is very important when it comes to substituting parts so as to vary the valve movements as hereafter described. The upper end of each rocker arm 42 and 44 is pivotally and loosely connected to the hub of its adjacent piston heretofore described by suitable lug mech..- nisin 58, the construction being such that as each cam shaft 50 or 52 rotates, it, through the adjacent rocker arm, reciprocates the adjacent piston 38 or 40 controlled by it within a suitable passage way 60 or cylinder provided for its travel.

The use of rockerV Each valve stem 30 and 32 is provided,

adjacent to its valve piston, with a shoulder 62 preferably located aboutmidway of its length engaged by said piston while the valve mechanism is in the act of opening the adjacent valve 26 or 28.

Each valve l for instance as nuts 68.

stem is correspondingly provided at its end with a washer 66 and securing devices such Embracing the outside of the hub of each valve piston is a spring 70 bearing at one end against the adjacent washer 66 and at the other end against a solid portion of the adjacent valve piston. There is suicient play between the piston hub and the washer so that this spring has a chance to operate to draw the adjacent valve 26 or 28 to its seat when the mechanism is in a position for closing the valve. It is important to note that each spring 70 is entirely free of, and never engaged by, or acted upon by the piston operating lever, `thus leaving it absolutely free to act without danger of sticking when the valve (26 or 28) is ready to be seated. This is very important in cases where overheating of the engine at the valve mechanism takes place.

One important feature is that each cylinder 40 is opposite the adjacent valve 26 so that the adjacent piston 38 moving in unison with its valve materially assists the movement of gas in the intervening gas passage 22 (or 24) through the valve port. The direction ofV movement of the gas depends, of course, on direction of movement of piston 38. In other words this helps insure a very full engine cylinder on intake and very emptyon exhaust.

In the operation of the device the cam shafts 5() and 52 are so arranged as to properly time the valves for satisfactory work of the engine. This, of course, requires that at one point in the movement of the parts valves 26and 28 are both closed so firing of the charge may be effected by the spark plug 74. In the articular position shown inthe drawing, right hand valve 28 is closed and held tightly so by the adjacent spring V70 while the opposite valve 26 is `open Without being afected by its adjacent spring 70.

It will be seen that when a given cam shaft as 52 is rotated it moves its adjacent rocker arm as 44 which, in turn, through the lug mechanism58 reciprocates its adjacent piston 40 backward and forward in passage 60. As this `particular piston moves to the left, it engages shoulder 62 -and forcibly opens valve 28 without placing any substantial compression upon the adjacent spring 70. It is also evident that, depending upon the size and shape of the cam shaft 52 controlling the device, this valve 28 may be moved any distance to the left without in any way affecting spring 70. When this valve 28 is wholly open and the cam shaft 52 begins to move the parts in the opposite direction, the adjacent spring 7 O is only compressed the distance between the end of hub 36 and washer 66 before-the hub engages the Washer and forcibly moves the valve 28 to the right without injuriously compressing the adjacent spring 70. When the valve 28 reaches its seat the spring 70 holds it on its seat notwithstanding slight variation in movement of the piston i0 under the control of the adjacent cam shaft 52.

The opposite cam shaft 50 correspondingly moves and controls the valve 26.

When itis desired to change the travel of the valves 26 and 28 it is only necessary to'remove the rocker arms and cam shafts shown inthe drawing and substitute others having different cam partsdesigned to give the desired `movement and when these new parts are substituted the valves will have such new movement as desired without making any change whatever in the piston and spring mechanism between the rocker arm and valve.

As will be seen from the claims, the invention consists in a single valve operating mechanism. Two valves (26 and 28) are shown merely for the purpose of illustrating, in the least possible space, changed positions of such valve mechanism. Obviously, an engine may be equipped with a great number of valve mechanisms of this invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

. A? further advantage of this device is that the springs are not under sufficient pressure to break the ends of the valve stems as frequently occurs in prior devices.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with an engine mechanism having a valve port controllingthe engine side of agas passage for the admission of Jfuel material to the engine mechanism, a valve firmly closing said valve port and reciprocata-ble to a `position where said valve port is opened, a piston member reciprocatable in the engine mechanism on the same axis as said valve andin a cylinder opening into the opposite `side of said gas passage, a valve stem on said valve slidable through said piston, a positive stop on said valve stem intermediate of its length, engaged by said piston, detachable means at the end of said valve stem which is away from the valve, also engagable by said piston, a4

spring carried by the piston and engaging said last mentioned means on the end of the valve stem, and means forreciprocating said piston for the purposes set forth.

2. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with engine mechanism having a valve opening, valve 28 seated in said opening, a valve stem 32 extending from said valve, a collar 62 on said valve stem intermediate between its ends, a piston-4.0 reciprocatable in the engine mechanism embracing said valve stem and adapted in one position to engage said Collar 62, detachable means 66-68 on the end of the valve stem at the opposite end from seid piston, a spring 70 embracing the hub of said piston and engaging at one end said securing means (S6-68, a rocker arm 44: extending at right angles to the valve stein pivoted on the engine and operatively engaging said piston, and a double acting cam shaft 52 engaging and operating said rocker arm, all

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto sub- 15 scribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

GOTTLIEB F. ZUC'KER.

Witnesses:

DWIGHT B. CHEEVER, MINNIE STERNBERG. 

